ok. i had lent my 1989 cadillac sedan deville to two friends of mine while they were staying in south jersey for 6 months. they let the car get really dirty and i would ask them to wash it every day. finally one day the car looks horrible and i confront them about it and they say "oh we washed it and it this is what happened."
so i ask them to wash it again and they do and it looks just as bad. there stay in south jersey is over now so i got my cadillac back. suffice it to say one of the first things i did was wash it, well after fixing some ignition problems. but this is where i'm getting really confused.
i washed the car and everything is normal so far. i get out a towel to dry it and the towel got covered in this red stuff.

here are some links to pictures of this mess.
:towel pictures:
http://kill.radiotakeover.com/zero/d...lafterdry1.jpg
http://kill.radiotakeover.com/zero/d...lafterdry2.jpg
http://kill.radiotakeover.com/zero/d...lafterdry3.jpg
http://kill.radiotakeover.com/zero/d...lafterdry4.jpg

:car prewash pictures:
http://kill.radiotakeover.com/zero/d...y_prewash1.jpg
http://kill.radiotakeover.com/zero/d...y_prewash2.jpg
http://kill.radiotakeover.com/zero/d...y_prewash3.jpg
http://kill.radiotakeover.com/zero/d...y_prewash4.jpg
http://kill.radiotakeover.com/zero/d...y_prewash5.jpg
http://kill.radiotakeover.com/zero/d...y_prewash6.jpg
http://kill.radiotakeover.com/zero/d...heel_dirty.jpg
http://kill.radiotakeover.com/zero/d...h_closeup1.jpg
http://kill.radiotakeover.com/zero/d...h_closeup2.jpg
http://kill.radiotakeover.com/zero/d...h_closeup3.jpg
http://kill.radiotakeover.com/zero/d...h_closeup4.jpg

:car postwash pictures:
http://kill.radiotakeover.com/zero/d..._postwash1.jpg
http://kill.radiotakeover.com/zero/d..._postwash2.jpg
http://kill.radiotakeover.com/zero/d..._postwash3.jpg
http://kill.radiotakeover.com/zero/d...heel_clean.jpg

if anyone has any ideas about this it would be really helpful. some other info about the car it has 140k miles on it.

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//mikezero/
http://radiotakeover.com
//96/transam/
-------------------
slp cai, slp ceramic coated headers, slp loudmouth catback, 160* thermostat, tb flow booster, !MAF screen

 

Very strange. Since the car is red, I would assume it's red paint. However, an '89 Cad was originally painted basecoat/clearcoat, so that should only be possible if it has been re-painted with single stage paint, or the clear is gone.

Was the car normally that dull looking? Have you tried some wax or paint cleaner/polish on it? If so, what did you find? Did they try to wax it with some colored wax?

Sorry, all ??'s and no answers.

Jeff

 

the paint was never REALLY shiny when i got it a couple years ago, but it was never this dull. the hood especially. i think they tried using the wax from a self car wash. i am probably going to compound the car and then wash it and give it a good waxing.

------------------
//mikezero/
http://radiotakeover.com
//96/transam/
-------------------
slp cai, slp ceramic coated headers, slp loudmouth catback, 160* thermostat, tb flow booster, !MAF screen

 

It looks like the car has no clear coat on it (was probably repainted before you got it with NO clear coat put on top) and now the red paint is oxidizing very badly and will continue to do so, the red pigment is coming out of the finish onto the towels.

------------------
96 Black Impala SS
Authorized Zaino Showcar Polish Distributor
www.zainobros.com
Remember #3

 

any suggestions on a course of action to keep the car looking decent?

------------------
//mikezero/
http://radiotakeover.com
//96/transam/
-------------------
slp cai, slp ceramic coated headers, slp loudmouth catback, 160* thermostat, tb flow booster, !MAF screen

 

Cut the dead paint off with 3M Swirl Mark Remover part number 39009 and seal the paint with a synthetic (not carnauba) polish or wax.



------------------
96 Black Impala SS
Authorized Zaino Showcar Polish Distributor
www.zainobros.com
Remember #3